Pressure regulating valve



March 23, 1954 w JAY ETAL 2,672,881

PRESSURE REGULATCENG VALVE Filed D90. 18. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l m/vz/vroes K M79) /2 B. FIR/PIS PAVE March 1954 K. w. JAY ET AL 2,672,881

PRESSURE REGULATING VALVE Filed Dec. 18. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 skirt is materially less than the diameter of the main cylinder l2, providing an annular drainage space 34 between the two components.

Fig. 3 shows a preferred form of the small pilot piston 26. Inclined flat planes 35 are machined on opposite sides of the piston, each extending from the crown 36 of the pilot piston to points situated on a hypothetical circumferential line encircling the piston and represented in the drawings as a phantom line 3?, whereby channels or passages between the circumferential surface of the pilot piston 26 and that of the inlet cylinder I3 will be provided, without interfering with the close sliding fit of the pilot piston, when it is partially withdrawn from the said cylinder. An alternative arrangement as illustrated in Fig. 4 may be employed to provide flow channels by passing a portion of the pilot piston; in this arrangement the planes 35 are replaced by a series of oblique passages 38 extending from the crown of the pilot piston 25 to the aforesaid hypothetical line 31. In a further alternative arrangement, as shown in Fig. 5, a series of longitudinal slots 39 is substituted for the apertures 38, the slots providing flow channels or passages when the pilot piston is partially withdrawn from its cylinder. In any of these arrangements, the flow channels provided in the pilot piston, if projected on the axis of the piston in the closed position, will be colinear with a portion of the said piston lying between the hypothetical line 3i and the crown 36; this portion may be referred to as the aligning portion, and the remainder of the pilot piston adjoining the main or large piston 25 may be referred to as the base portion.

Other alternative arrangements providin flow channels by-passing the aligning portion of the pilot piston when the base portion is fully withdrawn from the inlet cylinder are illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. As shown in Fig. 6, oblique flow passages as may be provided in the casing Ill, the passages extending from circumferentially spaced by-pass inlet openings til in the wall of the inlet cylinder I3 to by-pass outlet openings in the casing shoulder H. The by-pass inlet openings 40* will be spaced from the casing shoulder l l by a distance equal to the distance from the crown 36 to the hypothetical line 3 marking the dividing line between the base and aligning portions of the piston. Alternatively, a series of longitudinal slots 4| as shown in Fig. '7 may be provided in the wall of the inlet cylinder is in an arrangement similar to the provision of slots 39 in the pilot piston as shown in Fig. the length of the slots 4| Will be that of the aligning portion of the pilot piston. Whether flow passages are provided in the pilot piston or in the casing, the juncture of the base and alignin portions of the piston represented by the hypothetical line El will be in the plane of the casing shoulder I! when the base portion of the pilot piston is fully withdrawn from the inlet cylinder.

In the preferred construction of the valve as illustrated in the drawings there are certain important relationships between the significant dimensions, and these dimensions are indicated in the drawings by lower case letters a, b, 0, etc. The total length a of the pilot piston 26, from its crown or tip to the O-ring 21, must be greater than the distance D from the O-ring 33 in the plate IE to the nearer extremity of the skirt 3! when it is in the closed position. Consequently, when the valve is fully open, and the skirt 3| is against the O-ring 33, the pilot piston Will not be fully withdrawn from the small cylinder l3, although fluid will be allowed to flow through the channels provided by the inclined planes 35 (or alternatively through the passages 38 or it or the channels provided by the slots 39 or ii); therefore the small piston cannot fail to enter the small cylinder on the closing of the valve. In order that access to the drain port ll may be provided, the total length 0 of the main piston 25 must be slightly less than the sum of the distance (1 along the surface of the main cylinder [2 between the casing shoulder l l in the casing iii and the outlet groove 2!, and the width e of the outlet groove 2!. As a result of this relationship, when the valve is fully closed as shown in Fig. 1 the base 32 of the main piston 25 is located within the width 6 of the outlet groove 2i so that a free passage is provided from the outlet through the annular space M to the drain I! in the end plate It. When fluid under pressure is introduced to the inlet is and sufficient force is applied to the crown of the pilot piston 25, the piston assembly 23 will move against the restrainin influence of the spring 23. When the piston assembly has moved a distance equal to that by which the length 0 of the main piston 25 is less than d-l-e, the base 32 of the main piston passes beyond the outlet groove 25, thereby cutting off access from the outlet 22 to the annular space 34 and the drain. This distance d+ec will merely be sufficient to permhit passage of the maximum drainage flow to be expected. With further movement of the piston the hypothetical line ti on the pilot piston 26 will approach the plane of the casing shoulder H; the piston assembly 23 Will then have moved the distance 1 from the hypothetical line 31 to the O-ring 2'? at the piston shoulder 26. The dimension J should be slightly less than the dimension 6! so that when the piston has moved the distance 1, which constitutes the length of the base portion of the pilot piston, and the hypothetical line 3? is level with the casing shoulder l l, the piston shoulder 24 will be slightly short of the outlet groove 2! as shown in Fig. 2. Furthermore, the sum of dimension 1, and the distance 9 along the surface of the main piston 25 from the piston groove til to the piston shoulder 2d should not be less than the sum of the dimensions (1 and 6. Consequently, when the hypothetical line 3? is level with the plane of the casing shoulder I i, the piston groove til has moved beyond the outlet groove 2! and is no longer conjoined therewith, so that the piston groove til constituting the common outlet for th oblique conduits 29 is sealed off from the outlet port 22 by the cylindrical wall of the main chamber.

With further movement of the piston, the hypothetical line 37 passes the casing shoulder H into the main cylinder 52, thereby allowing fluid to flow through the channels provided by the inclined planes 35 or through the equivalent channels into a receiving chamber in themain cylinder l2 between the plane of the casing shoulder l l and the main piston 25, exposing the piston shoulder 2 to the pressure. The fluid is unable to escape from the receiving chamber through the oblique passages 29 because the piston groove 30 is now sealed ofi as explained previously, and since the dimension d is greater than the dimension 3, the piston shoulder M is at first still in advance of the outlet groove 2! so that the fluid does not escape through the outlet 22 to fill the system to which the valve discharges. The sudden exposure of the additional working surface against which the fluid can act causes a rapid increase in the force oplizwhenithezvalve issiopen anclzthe; systemisyim 15? operationl, ItI-is ady-isabiee that the distanceobe shouldvnotsbe: less: thanzth'e sum of; theudimem SiQIISJ ch andsieein Ofld'filfythfirtilthBjDEtOlfl35130111618171, ZAtvwilllfullymncover-e theioutletrgroovafizl; and the;

serverlu.

Wherrzthewpressuree in:.the.-:system-- drops to: at value; 2 at; which; it; no; longer provides: sufilcientz fomceeon 1 the surfaces: of: the, piston assembly 170'; overcome:- the zforcesof thee'springi: 28, the: piston; assembly; will move; toward; the closed; position: Since: do iszslightlwgreaterv than. I, the piston-1 shoulder: 2 5:; will pass: oven the: outlet groove 2i andrbeyondithe;zlimitaofxthe: outlet groove before. thezhypoth'etiea'li liner. 3 1'? is: level; with: the plane of the casing shoulder I I, and. access to the. outletzpont' 22::will temporarilmbezseaied ion; Slight further movementi of: the piston. brings: the hue petlreticaliline 3?] slevel-iiwithrth'e :planepof w the :caseinasshoulclerr I I; at this ,point: the: fii1icl= in the receiving chamberzbetween theplane of the-cas ing shoulder I I iand: the ;main: piston-sv 25: is:=;sub= stantially trappedrexceptiinsofarraszislight leak; age may takezplaceepast the mairrpiston'tilzinto thecoutletygroovez'tzi andfrorniithespistonrgroove anclc; the:- trappecl" fluid: freely" escapes through;

thee oblique: passages; 29; into: that: outlet groove 7- andzi the: outlet; 22: It: will be: seen that: it: isiimportant' that the: obliquezpassages 3 29:: open-e I into the. piston groove; 3i communicate with the; outlet grooves 21; ate theinstant'. thati trier-hypothetical iline -31? passes; the :plane: of: the: casingzshoulderi I 'I andv this ;may b'eaaccomplishedi; by rransine: that Fl e -date; it will? be; noted: above that -:f or: opening purposes 9 +gimust notvbei Since. the inlet pressure is.now:. applie(iionly1-to theipilot piston zfigqthesforce QBVBIOIJEdIEiSI faI'EJ belowithe avalue: su-fiicient :to resist/thee springs-2.8% and th'eipistoni assembly. rapidly: movesstowardt: th'emlosedzposition; As the: valve closesicompletealwthetabasewai ofzthenmaint:pistonz'moveszto witm thezzextentr of:: the outlet :g'roovev- 2i so: that. theeoutlet port122 islopen "1301311131915 drainrzporti ll thnough' {the annular spaces 34*; and'eany' -flu-idi,;-remaining in the outlet side 0t the-systema-is allowed, toiyclrainiouth I From: the foregoing 'it-iwillfbei understood rtl'lat. the-closing of the -annular port occurs at ar-lower: pressure-,thansthat .at which the port is a opem-nzl-v because, .inthe: opening ,operation the pressure is. alloweditoy build up, in the-:inlet: cylinder 2 I 3i until-it-lcan exert,-= on the relatively-T small-area"- ofthe piston-I2 fi ta-tforce-sufiicientzto.depressfthe I speingiZB bygthe distance f,whereasainitheziclose ingg ope'rationythe-inlet I pressure isiappliedzto-thel 6; wholes areas. of: the piston; includings, theepistom shoulder: Muse: that; a2: much:lowerrpressureawifli produceean equivalent: pistoninforcea?v Itswillzal'soe beenoted-i that; since: the: outlet 1 port. takes: thes forms of r a: circumferential; groove: rather: than the-:formzof' a simple circular: port: in the wa'll ofi the-3: chamber: the! variation: of; the? flow as? thew piston :shoulder- 2.4:moves-Within' theaextent ofii the outlet: groove 2I 'is extremely; rapid-in role.

I tion .to ,the magnitude "of movementzof the piston;

Thus; itiwillzbe seen that th'E VQflVGriS' so con structed that, vaswthe-hypothetical :line 31 passes the-casing shoulder l I; the-valvea snaps open or: snapsashut applying a sudden'fl'ow of fluid to; the: system or cutting; off; theflow positively at: a predetermined :pressure. Furthermore :therewisr K011514101" the: valve jammi-ng inoperation .v due to'malalignment ofithe piston 012 failure offthee upper portion thereof to re-enter theainlet-mylim den: I 3.; sincewitcannot: leave this chamber by vir. tue ofiitslength-in relation to: its overall travel-:-

the successful operation of the valvevisuchiefl yi; dependent upon thegmelv fit of :thepilot EpistonFZ 6 in theinlet cylinder I 3, rather than I upon: the

fit: of-ithe, main piston 25in thee-main cylinderz= I 2.;

anrlltheedges of the outlet grooveezl of the 901112?- let .port -mayqbe broken to provide a-slight=leak-- age: into or out ot the; outlet. groovea withoutt afieoting the efficient functioning. of the: uni-12.:

Ideally; the relation j+g=dr+es previously" rev ferred. toshould beobserved; if f+g d+e the open-inequalities ofthe valver-willbe improvew while the closing qualities -will- .beimpaired.-. How- F ever in. the prefer red;example describedaherein it is. considered desirable towestab'lish the: value-.'

d+e as a minimum for the sumof thetdimen sions 1,, and g, relyingopon some degreeeof leake ageinto I the: outlet groove 2.I to: prevent trapping; of I the. fluid 1 and; thereby? tor insure satisfactory:

- functioning during the closing: operation.

Since: the dimension to will \normallyvbe equal to the. dimension d. to provide:-complete-come munioation between the 0ut1et-groove; H and; the oblique passages 29 opening, into I the pis.-

ton: groove 39 when the valve isfullyvclosed;

andlsince-f+g is preferably equaltondi-l-e, then frwill in thatcase equal 6; that is-, thelength 0f-.- theobase portion of the pilot piston 16: should-.2 preferably equal the widthof the outlet g-roovei I: Further preferredw dimensional relationships may be. derived mathematically from the preferred equalityof ,f anda and the preferred relationship, hzdy-i-ew previously referred tOj-xit follows that: each, of d.. and g; should preferably equah 12+ (ale-f) Eurthermore; since dais on-1y slight-w lyIg-reater than 1, dland g are only slightly greatera than b/Zyspecifically if h is taken astheedi-fierv ential vbetweentl and f; then and The dimensions? figuring; in:v th relationships:. deseribeeliinsthe specificatiomand claims; ametoie=0i25 in: 20.25 in:

i-be:lunderstoodgastmeaning ,theefiectiveeorrfnnos tional dimensions as applied to a symmetrical and regular arrangement and not necessarily the actual measurements in cases where the structure is in any respect anamorphous or irregular.

It will be understood that the construction herein shown and described is a preferred application of the invention, that in some instances for example, it may be unnecessary or undesirable to provide access from the outlet system to the drain or vent (though the end of the working cylinder remote from the inlet must normally be vented in accordance with recognized practice), that the aligning portion of the pilot piston may be eliminated in the embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 without destroying the substantial advantages residing in the combination of th remaining elements of the invention, and that variou changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

What we claim as our invention is:

l. A valve comprising, a hollow casing having inner walls defining a stepped chamber which includes a main cylinder and an inlet cylinder of lesser diameter than the main cylinder and provides a casing shoulder between the main cylinder and the inlet cylinder, a stepped piston assembly reciprocatable a predetermined distance in the chamber from open to closed positions and comprising a main piston slidable in the main cylinder and a pilot piston extending with a close sliding fit into the inlet cylinder in all positions of the piston assembly and providing a piston shoulder between the main piston and the pilot piston, the casing shoulder and the piston shoulder defining in the casing on reciprocation of the piston assembly a variable fluid receiving space, a flow channel between the inlet cylinder and the fluid receiving space, means urging the piston assembly toward the closed position, an inlet to the inlet cylinder for applying fluid pressure to the pilot piston and urging the piston assembly toward the open position, an outlet port in the circumferential wall of the main cylinder, a conduit outlet in the circumferential wall of the main piston, and a conduit extending from a conduit inlet in the piston shoulder to the conduit outlet; the pilot piston closing the flow channel to prevent flow into the fluid receiving space and the conduit outlet in the main piston being positioned to open into the outlet port, only when the piston assembly is in a position ranging inclusively from the closed position to a, predetermined intermediate position; the fluid receiving space being sealed-off from the outlet port by the main piston when the piston assembly is in the said intermediate position and directly communicating with the outlet port after a predetermined increment in the movement of the piston assembly toward the open position from the said intermediate position.

2. A valve comprising, a hollow casing having inner walls defining a stepped chamber which includes a main cylinder and an inlet cylinder of lesser diameter than the main cylinder and provides a casing shoulder between the main cylinder and the inlet cylinder, a stepped piston assembly reciprocatable a predetermined distance in the chamber from open to closed positions and comprising a main piston slidable in the main cylinder and a pilot piston extending with a close sliding fit into the inlet cylinder in all positions of the piston assembly and providing a piston shoulder between the main piston and the pilot piston, the casing shoulder and the piston shoulder defining in the casing on reciprocation of the piston assembly a variable fluid receiving space, a flow channel extending through the casing from a channel inlet in the inlet cylinder to a channel outlet in the casing shoulder, means urging the piston assembly toward the closed position, an inlet to the inlet cylinder for applying fluid pressure to the pilot piston and urging the piston assembly toward the open position, an outlet port in the circumferential wall of the main cylinder, a conduit outlet in the circumferential wall of the main piston, and a conduit extending from a conduit inlet in the piston shoulder to the conduit outlet; the pilot piston closing the channel inlet in the inlet cylinder to prevent flow through the flow channel into the fluid receiving space and the conduit outlet in the main piston being positioned to open into the outlet port, only when the piston assembly is in a position ranging inclusively from the closed position to a predetermined intermediate position; the fluid receiving space being sealedoff from the outlet port by the main piston when the piston assembly is in the said intermediate position and directly communicating with the outlet port after a predetermined increment in the movement of the piston assembly toward the open position from the said intermediate position.

3. A valve comprising a hollow casing having inner Walls defining a stepped chamber which includes a main cylinder and an inlet cylinder of lesser diameter than the main cylinder and provides an annular casing shoulder between the main cylinder and the inlet cylinder, a stepped piston assembly reciprocatable a predetermined distance in the chamber from open to closed positions and comprising a main piston slidable in the main cylinder and a pilot piston extending with a close sliding fit in all positions of the piston assembly into the inlet cylinder and providing an annular piston shoulder between the main piston and the pilot piston, the casing shoulder and the piston shoulder defining in the casing on reciprocation of the piston assembly a variable fluid receiving space, the pilot piston closing the inlet cylinder to prevent flow into the fluid receiving space only when the piston assembly is in a position ranging inclusively from the closed position to a predetermined intermediate position, means urging the piston assembly toward the closed position, an inlet to the inlet cylinder for applying fluid pressure to the pilot piston and urging the piston assembly toward the open position, an outlet port in the circumferential wall of the main cylinder, the minimum effective axial distance d between the outlet port and the casing shoulder being greater by a predetermined increment than the distance of travel between the closed position and the said predetermined position of the piston assembly whereby the fluid receiving space is sealed oii from the outlet port by the main piston when the piston assembly is in the said intermediate position and incorporates the outlet port after the piston assembly has moved from the said intermediate position toward the open position a further distance equal to the said increment, a conduit outlet in the circumferential wall of the main piston and registrable with the outlet port, a conduit through the main piston from a conduit inlet in the piston shoulder to the conduit outlet, the sum of the said distance of travel and e the'uriinimum elTectiVeaXiaI "distance gmetween theponduit outlet and 'the, piston shoulderfibeing not less than the-'-'sumofjthedistancedaridthe maic-imum efiectivedimension e of the outlet port in thedirectron of-the longitudinal axis of the p1ston.assembly, whereby the conduit outlet/is positioned 'to"open"i'nto' theoutlet port only when the piston assemblyis in a position='ranging inclusivelyifrom the closed .position to a predetermined intermediate position.

,sL A-zyalileaas claimed in clan-m3; in whichithe sumof theesaid distance of :travel anytime-said distance g1 iscapproximatelyz equal :to thesum of the distance d and the dimensionee.

5. A valve as claimed inclaimfi in which the said predetermined iiistance"of'reciprocation is approximately equal tottheisum of the distance d'sandthedimensionre, thetdistance d iseapproximately equal to the distance g, and the sum of the said distance of travel and the distance 9 is approximately equal to the sum of the distance d and the dimension e.

6. A valve comprising, a hollow casing having inner walls defining a stepped chamber which includes a main cylinder and an inlet cylinder of lesser diameter than the main cylinder and provides a casing shoulder between the main cylinder and the inlet cylinder, a stepped piston assembly reciprocatable a predetermined distance in the chamber from open to closed positions and comprising a main piston slidable in the main cylinder and a pilot piston extendable into the inlet cylinder when the piston a s bly is in the closed position and providing a pis-' ton shoulder between the main piston and the pilot piston, the casing shoulder and the piston shoulder defining in the casing on reciprocation of the piston assembly a variable fluid receiving space, means urging the piston assembly to- Ward the closed position, an inlet to the inlet cylinder for applying fluid pressure to the pilot piston and urging the piston assembly toward the open position, an outlet port in the circumferential Wall of the main cylinder, a conduit outlet in the circumferential wall of the main piston, and a conduit extending from a conduit inlet in the piston shoulder to the conduit outlet; the pilot piston closing the inlet cylinder to prevent flow into the fluid receiving space and the conduit outlet in the main piston being positioned to open into the outlet port, only when the piston assembly is in a position ranging inclusively from the closed position to a predetermined intermediate position; a, drain port in the end of the main cylinder remote from the inlet cylinder, the drain port being in communication with the outlet port only when the piston assembly is between the closed position and the said intermediate position, the fluid receiving space being sealed-off from the outlet port by the main piston when the piston assembly is in the said intermediate position and directly communicating with the outlet port after a predetermined increment in the movement of the piston assembly toward the open position from the said intermediate position.

7. A valve comprising a hollow casing having inner walls defining a stepped chamber which includes a main cylinder and an inlet cylinder of lesser diameter than the main cylinder and provides a casing shoulder between the main cylinder and the inlet cylinder, a stepped piston assembly reciprocatable a predetermined distance in the chamber from open to closed positions and comprising a main piston slidable in the gee-m 1"0 main cylinder end a "pilot "piston *exteiidab'l je into theinlet cylinder' whenthepiston assembly isin the closed positioneand"providing ape ton "shoulder between "the *main piston amif'the pilot piston,"the"'casin'g "shoulder andthefpiston shoulder *dfiziingin the-"casingfon'reciprocation 6f "the-pistonassembly a "variable fiuid receiving space, means *urging the piston "assembly tocylind'er f or V applying "fluid pressure to the pilot piston and urging 'the piston assembly "toward the'open position an utlevport. intlretircuinferential wall of "the main -"cylinder, a "conduit outlet 'in the "circumferential wail "of "the main piston,"anii"a "corrduit extendingfrom'a conduit inlet in *the piston shoirlder to"'the *coniiuitf'outlt; the pilottpiston closing the inlet cylinder to prevent fi'ow i into "the fluid receiving "space and thecondditoiitletin the mainpi'ston'being positioned to open into the outlet port, only when the piston assembly is in a position ranging inclusively from the closed position to a predetermined intermediate position; a drain port in the end wall of the main cylinder remote from the inlet cylinder, the piston assembly having a skirt extending axially from the end of the main piston facing the drain part, the skirt being spaced from the circumferential wall of the casing to provide an annular drainage space communicating with the drain port, the drainage space being in communication with the outlet port only when the piston assembly is between the closed position and the said intermediate position, the fluid receiving space being sealed ofi from the outlet port by the main piston when the piston assembly is in the said intermediate position and directly communicating with the outlet port after a predetermined increment in the movement of the piston assembly toward the open position from the said intermediate position.

8. A valve comprising, a hollow casing having inner walls defining a stepped chamber which includes a main cylinder and an inlet cylinder of lesser diameter than the main cylinder and provides an annular casing shoulder between the main cylinder and the inlet cylinder, a stepped piston assembly reciprocatable a predetermined distance in the chamber from open to closed positions and including a main piston slidable in the main cylinder, a hollow cylindrical skirt extending coaxially from one end of the main piston and sealingly engaging with an annular seating zone on the corresponding end wall of the main cylinder when the piston assembly is in the full open position, and a pilot piston extendable into the inlet cylinder when the piston assembly is in the closed position and providing a piston shoulder between the main piston and the pilot piston, the casing shoulder and the piston shoulder defining in the casing on reciprocation of the piston assembly a variable fluid receiving space, spring means within the hollow skirt urging the piston assembly toward the closed position, an inlet to the inlet cylinder for applying fluid pressure to the pilot piston and urging the piston assembly toward the open position, an outlet port in the circumferential wall of the main cylinder, a conduit outlet in the circumferential wall of the main piston, and a conduit extending from a'conduit inlet in the piston shoulder to the conduit outlet; the pilot piston closing the inlet cylinder to prevent flow into the fluid receiving space and the conduit outlet in the main piston being positioned to open into 11 the outlet port, only when the piston assembly is in a position ranging inclusively from the closed position to a predetermined intermediate position; a drain port in the end Wall of the main cylinder facing the skirt and positioned within the annular seating zone of the skirt on the said end wall, the skirt being spaced from the circumferential Wall of the casing to provide an annular drainage space communicating with the drain port around the adjacent end of the skirt 10 when the piston assembly is not in the fully closed position, the drainage space being in communication with the outlet port only when the piston assembly is between the closed position and the said intermediate position, the fluid receiving space being sealed-01f from the outlet port by the main piston when the piston assembly is in the said intermediate position and directly communicating with the outlet port after 12 a predetermined increment in the movement of the piston assembly toward the open position from the said intermediate position.

KENNETH WILLIAM JAY. ROLAND BOYD FERRIS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 671,770 Locke Apr. 9, 1901 1,257,070 4 Discher Feb. 19, 1918 2,201,363 Campbell May 21, 1940 2,234,932 Schlaukitz Mar. 11, 1941 15 2,594,626 Earle Apr. 29, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 264,074 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1949 

